Tank support



May 7, 1940. E. L. CHAPPELL TANK SUPPORT Filed May 14, 1938 INVENTOR Eugene L. Cha Jp 61. Z

MKM

Patented May 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,199,481 ANK sorroa'r Eugene L. Chappell, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application May 14, 1938, Serial No. 207,974 3 Claims. (or, 248-446) This invention relates to a support for tanks such as range boilers.

Range boilers have heretofore been supported on a footed ring stand. Despite certain objections to this type of tank support, it has been widely used, for lack of something better. The shortcomings of the footed ring stand have become even more apparent through the adoption of cement lined range boilers having convex heads at both ends, made in accordance with the disclosure of my Patent No. 2,106,828. Such tanks, because of their cement lining, are considerably heavier than ordinary range boilers. Because of their rounded ends, furthermore, they require a crate to support them on end in storage. The weight is too great for the ring stand used heretofore and it is not practical for one man to install a cement lined tank on a loose stand.

I have invented a novel form of tanksupport which is specially adapted for a cement lined tank having convex heads, satisfactorily meeting the requirements of such tanks, and avoids the objectionable features of the old ring stand. In a preferred form, the invention consists of a plurality of brackets secured to the bottom head of the tank in spaced relation circumferentially thereof, having sockets adapted to receive supporting legs. The sockets may conveniently take the form of short threaded sleeves such as half couplings and the legs may be short lengths of pipe threaded at one end for insertion inthe sleeves.

The following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and certain modifications thereof refers to the accompanying drawing in which: a

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a range boiler having the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view with the supporting legs removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modification;

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views showing further modifications.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a range boiler l0 comprises a cylindrical body portion I! having convex heads l2 secured to each end as by welding. The entire inner surface of the tank is covered with a cement lining 0, preferably in accordance with the method covered by the aforementioned patent. The body and heads of the tank or boiler are provided with pipe connections l3.

A plurality of bracket members 14 are secured to the bottom head I2, preferably by welding as at I5 and E6, in circumferentially spaced relation. The brackets M may be stamped or cupped from flat stock of suitable gauge. The bracket members are preferably designed to have less strength and rigidity than the bottom head l2 for apurpose which will appear later. Sockets H are secured to the brackets as by a weld indicated at IT. The sockets are preferably threaded internally and may conveniently be constituted by half couplings. As shown in Fig. 3, the sockets extend downwardly below the connection l3 on the bottom head It whereby the tank will stand erect when placed on end, thus avoiding the necessity of a crate to support the tank in storage.

Legs I8 are inserted in the sockets l1 and may conveniently be constituted by short lengths of pipe threaded at one end for insertion into the sockets l'i. After insertion any leg may be screwed inwardly or outwardly for the purpose of plumbing the tank to a precisely vertical position. The legs l8 may be provided with suitable feet 19. I

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification wherein sockets Ila extend upwardly from the bottom of the bracket members Ma. The bracket members have holes formed therein and the sockets are secured to the members in alinement with these holes. It will be noted that the bottoms of the bracket members lie in a plane below the bottom of the connection I 3 for the purpose already indicated.

Fig. 5 illustrates a further modification in which the bracket members shown at 20 are in the form of fiat straps bent to suitable shape, instead of cupped stampings.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of bracket member 2| which is suitable for welding to tanks having concave bottom heads such as that shown at 22. The invention, in other words, may be applied to conventional range boilers as well as to those having convex heads at both ends.

The numerous advantages of the invention will be readily apparent. The fact that the bracket members provide means for supporting on end a tank having a convex bottom head, without the necessity for a crate,-before the legs have been inserted, has already been mentioned. The bracket members and supporting legs constitute a simple and relatively inexpensive support for the tank. The bracket members are preferably secured to the tank atthe factory and the supporting legs may be formed from scrap pipe lengths picked up on the job. The invention also its support, despite the considerable weight thereof. By inserting the supporting legs while the tank is lying down, it may readily be set up by lifting on the upper end. Since the bracket members have less strength and rigidity than the bottom head, excessive stress will cause a failure of the bracket members before the tank head bends. This protects the lining against cracking.

Although I have illustrated and described but a preferred form of the invention with certain modifications, numerous changes in the construction disclosed may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for attaching supporting legs to tanks having an outer shell and a lining of frangible material, to prevent distorting strains from being transmitted to the lining comprising a plurality of relatively thin L-shaped sheet metal brackets secured at their ends to said shell and spaced therefrom intermediate their ends whereby to impart a degree of flexibility to said attaching means suificient to absorb distorting strains incident to use.

2. Means for attaching supporting legs to tanks having an outer shell and a lining of frangible material, to prevent distorting strains from being transmitted to the lining comprising a plurality of relatively thin sheet metal brackets secured at their ends to said shell and spaced therefrom intermediate their ends whereby to impart a degree of flexibility to said attaching means suflicient to absorb distorting strains incident to use.

3. Means for attaching supporting legs to tanks having an outer shell and a lining of frangible material, to prevent distorting strains from being transmitted to the lining comprising a plurality of relatively flexible metal arms secured to the shell and bearing said attaching means whereby to impart a degree of flexibility to said attachincident to use.

EUGENE L. CHAPPELL.

ing means sufficient to absorb distorting strains 20 

